A presentation with David Polonsky and a host of artists, illustrators, poets, animators, academics, students, literatures, comic book creator, literature entrepreneurs and culture commentators on the history of illustrations in Bengal and Israel.
The session witnessed sharing of experiences, facts and anecdotes related to graphic novels, comics, long form illustration and their impact in the contemporary Bengali and Israeli society.
My presentation ranged from David’s virtuosity being an illustrator, animator, creator of comic books, children’s book illustrator, graphic artist and others and I compared him with Satyajit Ray whose footstep all Bengalis follow. The discussion ranged, mainly comparative with David’s work and the huge repertoire of work in Bengal on various aspects from comic as a form to children book illustration. From Book Illustration to Illustration to match the writer’s work. From animation in film to animated film with the music score. From commercial venture of comic books to venture into long form.
References were drawn by me to the work of Lal Behari Day for Folk-Tales of Bengal whose illustrations are comparable to the work of David for Moonless Night Written by Shira Geffen and Etgar Keret. I also brought in the reference of William Roxburgh’s Flora Fauna in context of illustration by Bengal Artists in thousands. Also pointed out that Title Animation for Hollywood Movies being done in Kolkata due to costs.
David‘s illustrations are full of colour and movement created for comics, journalism and children’s books. Polonsky’s work ranges from illustrations for newspapers, magazines, and children’s books, to stage and cinema design. His projects include the design of the animated documentary Waltz with Bashir and an adaptation of Anne Frank’s Diary of a Young Girl to a graphic novel that has been translated into more than 25 languages. He has won numerous awards, including two Israeli Film Academy Awards and an Andersen Award for children’s books illustration.
